Method of making boxes and crates



Oct. 31, 1933. ROSENMUND 1,933,029

METHOD OF MAKING BOXES AND CRATES Filed Sept. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. M r

BY PIE! 2 M ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 31, 1933 A. L. ROSENMUND METHOD OF MAKING BOXES AND CRATES Filed Sept. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE-B FIG-3 lli-5 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented st. 31, 1933 METHOD OF MAKING BOXES AND CRATES Alfred L. Rosenmund, Rockaway Borough, N. J.,

assignor to Stapling Machines 00., a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1931. Serial No. 561,821

19 Claims.

This invention relates to boxes and crates and particularly to wirebound boxes and crates.

It is an object of the invention to provide an efficient means and method for connecting adjacent box or crate parts.

It is a further object to provide a fastening means for connecting box parts which is strong and durable, yet inexpensive.

It is a further object to provide a fastening means of the character described which may be readily manipulated to open and closed positions Without employing a specially constructed tool or mechanical device.

It is a further object to provide a fastening means of the character described which is adapted to resist relative longitudinal shifting of meeting edges of adjacent box parts.

It is a further object to provide a method of utilizing the binding wires of adjacent Wirebound box parts as a fastening means for detachably connecting said parts.

It is a further object to provide a means and method of separably uniting the flexible binders of adjacent box parts in such manner as to bury the binder ends.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means and method of completing the continuity of a box encircling binder in such manner as to bury the ends of the binder and permit a ready breaking and re-making of the continuity of the binder without exposing the binder ends.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wirebound box embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a closing corner of the box and showing one of the binders provided with the illustrative fastening means.

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the manner of connecting adjacent sections by hooking one fastener through the other.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged views of a box part and binding wire stapled thereto and illustrating the manner of manipulating the wire to provide a fastener for connecting the box part to another box part.

The illustrative box consists of a top section 1, a front section 2, a rear section 3, a bottom section 4, and end sections 5. The sections may be reenforced at either end of the box by cleats 6. Encircling the top, rear, front and bottom sections are a plurality of flexible binders '7 (preferably wires) secured to the sections by staples 8 which preferably pass through the sections and are clinched to firmly secure the binders to the sections. The flexible binders 7 at the upper rear comer edge of the box function as hinges to permit raising the top section for insertingthe commodity to be shipped. When the box is filled with its contents the top section is lowered to close the box and the ends of the binders are connected to complete the continuity of the binders and hold the top section in closed position.

Heretofore the ends of each binder 7 have been intertwisted to complete the continuity of the binder. Such intertwisting has been objectionable because the sharp ends of the binder remained exposed to cut the hands or clothing of those persons who handled the box; and also because such an intertwisting necessitated a cutting of the binder to open the box and thus render the box unfit for a repeated opening and closing. Attempts have been made to provide a fastener which would permit a ready opening and closing of the box without cutting the wires. Such attempts took the form of loops formed on each end of the binder by bending the binder back upon itself and wrapping the loose end about the body of the binder, one loop being smaller than the other to permit passing the smaller loop through the larger loop and then bending the smaller loop back upon itself. Such looped fasteners were objectionable because they required accuracy of adjustment and alignment relative to the box edges and to each other, and also because the sharp binder ends remained exposed, as in the ordinary intertwisting of the wire ends.

Applicant has provided a fastener for completing the continuity of the binder which eliminates the objections referred to above, and which also functions to resist longitudinal shifting of adjacent box sections.

Referring to Fig. 4 the binder 7 which extends beyond the front edge of top section 1 is bent at its end (as shown in dotted lines) to provide a prong 9 long enough to be driven through the section 1 and clinched. The binder 7 is then bent to bring the prong 9 over the section 1, as shown in Fig. 5, and to provide a U-shaped bight 10 extending from the edge of the section. The prong 9 is then driven through the section 1 at 100 a point relatively remote from the body of the binder '7 and is clinched on the under side of the section (as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6). Thus, one leg of the U-shaped bight 10 is fixed to the section 1 by the staples 8, and the 105 other leg is fixed to the section at a relatively remote point by the prong 9 and the end of the binder (which is now the end of the prong 9) is buried in the under side of the section and is no longer exposed.

Similarly the other end of the binder 7 is provided with a prong 9, is bent around over the front section 2, and the prong 9 driven through the section 2 and clinched, thus providing a U- shaped bight 11 on the front section (see Fig. 2) to interengage with the bight 10 on the top section. In the illustrative box the bight 11 is made slightly narrower than the bight 10 to readily pass therethrough when the top section is lowered, but it will be understood that the sizes may be reversed to permit the bight 10 to be passed through the bight 11.

When the parts are in the interengaging position shown in Fig. 2, the bight 11 is bent downward over the bight 10 .as shown in Fig. 3, thus locking the top section to the front section. Because the legs of each U-shaped bight are fixed to their respective sections at spaced points, the fastener as a whole resists relative longitudinal shifting of the top and front sections under stresses and strains, thus adding to the rigidity of the box.

To open the box the bight 11 may be raised to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the top section raised. The top may again be closed in the manner already described.

Such a fastening means is at least as strong as intertwisted wire ends, permits a ready opening and reclosing of the box, eliminates the objectionable exposed sharp ends of the binder, and increases the rigidity and durability of the box by resisting shifting of the box parts under strain. And all of these advantages are obtained by utilizing the binder as its own fastener in the manner described and without providing separate fastening means.

While the illustrative box shows the use of the fastening means for connecting the top and front sections of the box it will be understood that the fastener may be used for connecting other parts of a box or crate.

I claim:

1. The method of completing the continuity of a wire binding stapled to a box and encircling the box and extending beyond the closing corner thereof which consists in bending each end of the wire to provide a prong adapted to be driven into a box side, bending each end of the wire back upon itself to form a U-shaped bight, driving the prongs into the box sides to perpetuate the bights, passing one bight through the other and hooking the former over the latter to provide a hooking engagement between the two.

2. The method of completing the continuity of a wire binding stapled to a box and encircling the box and extending beyond the closing corner thereof which consists in bending each end of the wire to provide a prong adapted to be driven into a box side, bending each end of the wire to form a bight and bring the prong over the box side to which that end of the wire is attached, driving each prong into its box side at a point relatively remote from the body of the wire to fix the legs of the bight in spaced relationship, and booking one bight through the other.

3. The method of providing a box part with fastening means for connection with another box part which consists in stapling a wire to the box part with a free end extending a substantial distance from the staple anchorage, bending the free end of the wire to provide a prong adapted to be driven into the box part, bending the wire intermediate the prong and the point of staple anchorage to provide a U-shaped bight, and driv-. ing the prong into the box part to perpetuate the bight, whereby the box part is provided with a flexible bight extending therefrom and adapted to connect the box part with another box part.

4. The method of providing a box part with fastening means for connection with another box part which consists in stapling a wire to the box part with a free end extending a substantial distance from the staple anchorage, bending the wire intermediate its end and the point of staple anchorage to provide a bight, and driving the end of the wire into the box part to perpetuate the bight, whereby the box part is provided with a flexible bight extending therefrom and adapted to connect the box part with another box part.

5. The method of providing a box part with fastening means for connection with another box part which consists in stapling a wire to the box part with a free end extending a substantial distance from the staple anchorage, bending the end of the wire to provide a prong adapted to be driven into the box part, bending the wire intermediate the prong and the point of staple anchorage to provide a bight, and driving the prong into the box part at a point relatively remote from the body of the wire, whereby the legs of the bight are anchored to the box part at separated points and the body of the bight extends from the points of anchorage and is adapted to connect the box part with another box part.

6. The method of providing a box part with fastening means for connection with another box part which consists in stapling a wire to the box part with one end extending beyond the edge of the box part, bending the end of the wire to provide a prong adapted to be driven into the box part, bending the wire to bring the prong over the box part and to form a bight extending beyond the edge of the box part, and driving the prong into the box part to perpetuate the bight, whereby the box part is provided with a bight extending therefrom and adapted to connect the box part with another box part.

7. The method of providing a box part with fastening means for connection with another box part which consists in securing a flexible binder to the box part with a free end extending a substantial distance from the point of attachment to the box part, bending the end of the binder to provide a prong adapted to be driven into the box part, bending the binder intermediate its end and the point of attachment to the box part to provide a bight, and driving the prong into the box part to perpetuate the bight, whereby the box part is provided with a flexible bight extending therefrom and adapted to connect the box part with another box part.

8. A method of providing the ends of a box binder with interengageable fastening means which consists in securing the binder to the box sides in such manner that when the sides are assembled into box form the binder ends will lie adjacent each other at the closing corner edge of the box, bending the binder adjacent each of its extremities to form a pair of interengageable bights, and driving the ends of the binder into the box sides to perpetuate the bights, whereby when the box sides are assembled into box form, one bight may be hooked through the other to retain the sides in box form.

9. The method of connecting two box parts each having a flexible binder secured thereto and extending therefrom which consists in bending the end of each binder to provide a prong,

bending each binder to form a bight and to bring the prong over the box part, driving the prong of each binder into its box part to perpetuate the bights, and hooking one bight through the other.

10. The method of completing the continuity of a flexible binder secured to and encircling a box which consists in bending each end of the binder to provide a prong, bending each end of the binder to form a bight, driving the prongs into the box sides to perpetuate the bights, and hooking one bight through the other.

11. The method of completing the continuity of a flexible binder secured to and encircling a box which consists in bending each end of the binder to form a bight thereon, driving the ends of the binder into the box sides to perpetuate the bights, and hooking one bight through the other.

12. The method of equipping a wirebound box with interengageable means for completing the continuity of a binding wire stapled to and encircling the box which consists in bending each end of the wire to provide a prong, bending each end of the wire to form a bight, and driving the prongs into the box sides to perpetuate the bights,

whereby one bight may be hooked through the other to releasably complete the continuity of the wire binding.

13. The method of equipping a box with means for completing the continuity of a flexible binder secured to and encircling the box which consists in bending each end of the binder to form a bight, and driving the ends of the binder into the box sides to perpetuate the bights, whereby the bights may be connected to complete the continuity of the binder.

14. The method of connecting two box par which consists in stapling a wire to each box part with its end extending therefrom, bending each wire to form a U-shaped bight, driving the end of each wire into its box part to perpetuate the bight through the other.

15. The method of connecting two box parts which consists in securing a flexible binder to each box part with its end extending therefrom, bending each binder to form a bight, driving the end of each binder into its box part to perpetuate the bight and bury the binder end, and hooking one bight through the other.

16. The method of connecting two box parts which consists in stapling a wire to each box part with its end extending therefrom, bending the end of each wire to provide a prong adapted to be driven into the box part, bending each wire to form a bight and to bring the prong over the box part, driving the prong of each wire into its box part to perpetuate the bight and bury the end of the wire, and hooking one bight through the other.

1'7. A method of providing the ends of a box encircling binder with interengageable fastening means which consists in securing the binder to the box sides with its ends extending therefrom,

bending the binder adjacent each of its extremities to form a pair of interengageable bights, and driving the ends of the binder into the box sides to perpetuate the bights, whereby one bight may be hooked through the other to connect the two.

18. The method of connecting two box parts which consists in securing a flexible binder to each box part with its end extending therefrom, bending each binder to form a bight, driving the end of each binder into its box part to perpetuate the bight, and hooking one bight through the other.

19. The method of connecting two box parts which consists in securing a flexible binder to each box part with its end extending therefrom, bending the end of each binder to provide a prong, bending each binder to form a bight and to bring the prong over the box part, driving the prong of each binder into its box part to perpetuate the bights, and hooking one bight through the other.

ALFRED L. ROSENMUN'D. 

